Related News/Archive

A 22-month-old toddler was offering a treat to the family dog, named Fresh, in the garage of a home on Bloomfield Hills Drive. The pit bull and mastiff mix bit the face and upper body of the child, said Hillsborough County Animal Services spokeswoman Marti Ryan.

One of the dog's owners stabbed the 85-pound dog to get it away. Custody of Fresh was given to Hillsborough County Animal Services. The stab wounds were severe enough that the dog cannot be adopted, so it will be euthanized, Ryan said.

Audriana Bilinski was treated at Tampa General Hospital for serious injuries to her lip, right arm and chest, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The attack prompted Ryan to advise parents not to allow young children to feed the family dog or be left unsupervised with a dog.

"People need to understand as much as they love their pets and as much as they love their child, putting the two together with a food source is a dangerous recipe," Ryan said.